Feature Friday – Meet Amber

Tell us your name and where you are from? Soooo, my name is Amber , and I’m a proud native of Atlanta, Georgia.

How long have you been natural? what’s the story behind that?
I just celebrated my one year natural anniversary this past December! I got my last relaxer April 2010, for my junior prom. I HATED my relaxed hair, it barely touched my shoulders, and it was a dry mess full of split ends (I didn’t want to cut them because I wanted to keep my length.) No matter how I wore my hair, I hated it; I thought about going natural since I was 13, so I decided to go ahead and do it. I transitioned with micro braids for about 8 months.Describe your hair.My hair is super coarse, and thick to the point where I can barely get a comb through it lol. It falls a little past my chin; as for curl pattern, I’m pretty sure I’m a 4c.What is your hair regimen? My hair regimen is pretty simple. Once a week, I co-wash with Suave Naturals Lilac conditioner. Afterwards, I seal in the moisture with coconut oil, braid my hair, and tie up with a satin scarf; I leave the braids in overnight. This leaves my hair soft, shiny, and best of all, STRETCHED to its longest length lol. Once or twice a month, I shampoo my hair with pretty much any sulfate-free shampoo I can find. It varies. After shampooing, I ALWAYS deep condition my hair. For both co-washing and shampooing, I detangle my hair in the shower with a wide-tooth comb, and I let my hair air-dry afterwards. During the rest of the week, I dampen my hair every night with water, seal it with coconut oil, and braid it back up.

So you’re a college student. How has your regimen changed since you got to college?Now that I’m in college, simplicity is the best solution for me. I can’t afford those fancy exotic hair goodies many women on YouTube advertise lol. In fact, for the majority of the year, my hair has been in micro braids; it really saves time in the mornings, and it’s a great protective style!What is your best hair advice?My best hair advice would definitely be to keep hair moisturized, especially in the wintertime. Even now that my hair is in braids, I co-wash weekly and keep hair moisturized throughout the week. Protective styling (i.e braids, twists, buns, etc.) are also great for length retention.

Advice for new naturals? Discipline and patience are the key! When I first cut my hair, I was anxious for it all to grow back. I looked high and low for magic potions that would grow my hair to my waist within a month, but I later realized that if I kept my hair healthy, length would eventually come. Diet, proper moisture, and even exercise, play a significant role in the health of hair. Also, check out these ladies on YouTube, they have gorgeous natural hair and give great advice: Alicia James, Naptural85, NikkiMae, and Kimmaytube.What is the strangest comment, request or hair story? The strangest comment I’ve ever gotten…I’m stuck between “Oh, you bringin’ back the 70’s!” “…So when you gettin your hair fixed?” and “Giiiirl, you should get dreads!” LOLAnything else? If you’re thinking about going natural, DO IT!! The internet is SO full of wonderful advice and forums made just for us natural girls, it’s a great experience!